Frank Gallagher is a fictional character from the hit TV show Shameless. He is portrayed as an alcoholic single father of 6 children who struggles to raise them in the south side of Chicago. Determining exactly how many biological children Frank has can be tricky, as the show features complicated relationships and backstories. Here’s a closer look at Frank’s kids:
Fiona Gallagher
Fiona is Frank’s eldest child and only daughter. She is around 21 years old in season 1. As the oldest, Fiona takes on the parenting role for her younger siblings due to Frank’s negligence. She drops out of high school to work and care for the family.
Phillip “Lip” Gallagher
Lip is Frank’s second oldest child and oldest son. He is approximately 16-18 years old in season 1. Lip is highly intelligent with an IQ of 155, but also struggles with alcoholism like his father. He uses his smarts to make money in illegal ways, like taking the SATs for other students.
Ian Gallagher
Ian is Frank’s third oldest child. He is about 15-16 years old in season 1. Ian revealed he was gay in season 1 and had a relationship with Mickey Milkovich. He later enlists in the army but goes AWOL.
Deborah “Debbie” Gallagher
Debbie is Frank’s fourth child and second daughter. She is around 10-11 years old in season 1. Debbie acts older than her age due to her dysfunctional upbringing and starts dressing provocatively and exploring sex at a young age.
Carl Gallagher
Carl is Frank’s fifth child and third son. He is around 10 years old in season 1. Carl has sociopathic tendencies and is obsessed with guns, violence, and dangerous stunts. He ends up joining the police academy as a young adult.
Liam Gallagher
Liam is Frank’s youngest biological child. He is an infant in season 1. Despite Frank’s neglect, Liam seems to suffer the least dysfunction and has the most stable life out of the Gallagher kids.
Samantha “Sammi” Slott
Sammi is later revealed to be Frank’s oldest biological child. She tracks down Frank to connect with her half siblings. Sammi is unstable and often competes with Fiona for control of the Gallagher household.
Other Children Fathered by Frank Gallagher
In addition to his main 7 children, Frank Gallagher fathers several other kids throughout the show:
- Chuckie Slott – Sammi’s son, fathered by Frank.
- DJ – Fathered with Queenie, Carl’s girlfriend.
- Unborn child – Frank gets a woman named Wendy pregnant. She later terminates the pregnancy.
- Franny Gallagher – Frank is later revealed to be the father of Debbie’s daughter Franny, conceived through rape.
Total Number of Kids
So in summary, the total number of known biological children fathered by Frank Gallagher is:
| Child | Biological Child? |
|---|---|
| Fiona Gallagher | Yes |
| Phillip “Lip” Gallagher | Yes |
| Ian Gallagher | Yes |
| Deborah “Debbie” Gallagher | Yes |
| Carl Gallagher | Yes |
| Liam Gallagher | Yes |
| Samantha “Sammi” Slott | Yes |
| Chuckie Slott | Yes |
| DJ | Yes |
| Unborn child with Wendy | Yes |
| Franny Gallagher | Yes |
Based on the information provided throughout the 11 seasons of Shameless, Frank Gallagher fathered a total of 11 biological children.
Conclusion
Frank Gallagher is depicted as a notoriously neglectful and absent father on Shameless. However, his promiscuous lifestyle results in him biologically fathering 11 children throughout the course of the show. His oldest is Sammi, who tracks him down as an adult. His youngest is Franny, Debbie Gallagher’s daughter who Frank is revealed to have fathered through rape. In between, Frank has 7 children with his ex-wife Monica including Fiona, Lip, Ian, Debbie, Carl and Liam. He also fathers another son named DJ with Carl’s girlfriend Queenie. Despite his countless flaws, Frank’s large family tree of 11 kids is a central part of his chaotic character on Shameless.